This paper attempts to critically and theoretically examine the socio-economic and political situations
of women in an underdeveloped patriarchal society like Nigeria and argued that the situation has not changed for the
better for many women. More women than men suffer from underdevelopment. When we consider gender inequality
in development, the gender sensitive policies formulated to tackle this problem appeared to have produced little or
no impact on many of the Nigerian women. The paper concludes by stressing that for women to be made veritable
instrument for development, the age long cultural practices such as early marriage, occupational gender segregation,
sex preference and female genital mutilation that inhibit women’s contribution to development must be adequately
addressed by government and non- governmental organizations.